Sancti Spíritus prepares to celebrate National Culture Day

With the arrival of October, cultural activities in Sancti Spíritus—as in the rest of the nation—are being reorganized to celebrate the events of October 20th. Established in August 1980 by Decree No. 74 of the Council of Ministers, this date marks National Culture Day, honoring events in the city of Bayamo recorded in history.

Leticia Ulacia, Deputy Director of the Culture and Art Sector in Sancti Spíritus, announced that the celebration—running from October 10 to 20—will be dedicated provincially to the 180th anniversary of the *Tonadas Trinitarias*. This group is the longest-running artistic ensemble in the local rosters; specifically, it belongs to the catalog of state-subsidized units under the Provincial Music Center.

“It is also dedicated, undoubtedly, to Sixto Edelmiro Bonachea, given what he represents for the culture of Sancti Spíritus and, indeed, for Cuban culture as a whole.”

Also joining the list of honorees are the *Septeto Espirituano*, marking its centenary, and percussion professor Aurelio Luis Rodríguez Cabrera.

According to the planned schedule, the local festivities will kick off at the Rubén Martínez Villena Provincial Library. “We will host a panel titled ’50 Years and Counting,’ moderated by Juanelo and featuring Sixto Edelmiro Bonachea—one of the first directors of the Provincial Directorate of Culture—along with Carlos Sotolongo, who, in my view, holds the record for the longest tenure in that role, having led the organization for 11 years.”

According to the source, the remainder of the week will feature special moments through various gatherings with diverse audiences, where the arts take center stage. One event that promises to provoke thought is scheduled for October 20th itself at the gallery of the centrally located Hotel Plaza: the opening of the exhibition *Retazos, fragmentos que construyen… todo* (Scraps, Fragments That Build… Everything) by renowned visual artist Rafael González Morales.

“The closing of the event series will take place on the day itself, October 20th. We decided to reschedule the ‘Concert Music Gathering’—moving it from its usual day because the occasion warrants it—to create a unique event. It will be—as I always say—a different kind of gathering. That is how we will wrap up the celebrations.”

Nationwide, the October 20th celebrations honor the centenary of Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro’s birth, the 50th anniversary of the Ministry of Culture, and the 40th anniversary of the Hermanos Saíz Association, among other milestone anniversaries.